Health + Safety Checklist for Salons and Barbershops

Health + Safety Checklist for Salons and Barbershops

As the health and beauty industry has reopened in South Africa, it's really important to consider how to continue to keep your clients and employees safe at this time. Make sure you are protecting your loyal customers and your business by following the tips below.

Stock up on Health and Safety Gear.

Mask and gloves

Establishments will have to have masks and gloves on hand for every employee regardless of whether or not that staff will be working with clients. Make sure you're also ready to hand out extra masks and gloves for clients who may arrive with no mask on or perhaps their mask has been damaged.

Face Shields

Stylists and barbers should also invest in face shields. Face shields offer some advantages to masks such as indefinite use, ease in ability to clean, and comfort. Face shields also help wearers avoid touching their faces which medical officials recommend to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Capes

Stock up on disposable capes which can be safely discarded after every use to minimise contact between clients and staffers. Give each new customer their own disposable cape. Reusable capes will work too. These must be cleaned after every use, in accordance with the fabric recommendations written on the care label.

Smocks

Industry professionals are recommended to wear disposable smocks. These can be thrown away once a session is complete. Re-wearable smocks will suffice, but you must wash them after every session with a client.

Neck strips

If you haven't stocked up, now is definitely the time. Even before the outbreak of Covid-19 every barber and stylist should have been using neck strips to keep the workplace sanitary. Neck strips can absorb sweat or other body fluids that can transmit the virus.

Cleaning and disinfecting

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces are two of the most important steps that can and should be taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. If people haven't been inside the shop or salon for over a week a normal but careful cleaning routine before reopening is all that necessary.  This is because the virus that causes COVID-19 has not been shown to survive on surfaces longer than that time frame. 

Create a safety and health routine

Remember that your shop will require more frequent cleaning and disinfecting than a home. This is because of the number of people that will visit. Before the shop opens, create a routine, so that frequently touched surfaces and objects are properly cleaned and disinfected. Door handles or knobs, desks, faucets, light switches, countertops, desks, phones, toilets, and sinks. Any tool used for services, tables, or client chairs will also have to be routinely cleaned. You should also create a plan for valuable electronics which may include cell phones, tablets, touchscreens, remote controls and keyboards. Carefully review any information provided by the manufacturer of the electronic device.

Safeguarding the Workplace

In addition to cleaning and disinfecting the shop it's equally as important to remove items that could spread the virus from person to person. Before people enter your workspace, remove unnecessary things that they may touch or hand to one another. Some common examples include flyers, magazines, newspapers, business cards and service menus. Basically remove any unnecessary paper products, but also get rid of extra mirrors, remote controls, phone chargers and paperweights.  Consider just concerning the use of paper appointment books and eliminate cash payment options.  it will also be important to set some additional time aside between appointments. that will give you some time to follow your health and safety checklist. The Booksy app is designed to help with all of these needs in regards to scheduling appointments, eliminating the need to exchange cash, and discontinuing the use of an appointment book. For any stylist or barber who hasn't already signed up with Booksy, click here today and handle business without the unnecessary risk of catching cash credit cards and appointment books that can spread COVID-19.